1st/6th Sherwood Foresters

[agooner]

Anyone any idea what the 1st/6th Sherwood Foresters were up to on 11th May 1917 please. They seem to have had five killed including my man, Pte 242394 Alfred HENSBY.

Thanks in advance

[sotonmate]

Your subject is buried at Grenay (15kms SE of Bethune). Maroc British Cemetery was used by his Division (46) from Apr 1917, so it is likely that 1/6 SF were manning the front line close by. There are several units of the SF nearby also as you will see if you read the CWGC list for the burials for May 1917. The signs are that the casualties were from the day-to-day attrition of the trenches.

The War Diary,WO 95/2694/1,will say precisely where they were positioned. It is digital from the Discovery database of the National Archives,but you would also get the Diaries of the other units of 139 Brigade of 46 Division.

[agooner]

Thanks for that, I will take a look at Kew later this week

[spof]

You can download the diary now for £3.36 or if you're in Kew, connect to their wireless network and download it to a laptop for free.

[BRONNO]

On this date the 11th May 1917 the 6th Battalion were at Petitt Sains, and on the 12th May the Battalion was relieved by the 5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters and moved into Brigade Reserve in dugouts at Cite St Pierre. Four other ranks were killed and ten were wounded. The C.O at this time was Major Seaton as Lt/Col Johnson was on leave in England, Johnson was one of the youngest Lt/Col's ever to serve in the regiment in his mid 20's. BRONNO.

[agooner]

Thanks you all, great help

[mikebriggs]

Can just add that between 6 and 12 May they were in RIGHT SUB-SECTOR of left Brigade front (East of St Pierre). During those 6 days they had Lt FWA Stubbs and 4 men killed, with 10 men wounded.

If I can find a trench Map I will post it

cheers

Mike

[mikebriggs]

Here is a map and the 1/5th Leicester's History gives a good description of the trenches. The 1/6th Battn had relieved the 1/5th Leicester's on the 6th May.

Our new sector was one of the worst we ever held. The front line, "A" Company (Petch), consisted of "Cooper Trench"—an exposed salient in front of Cité St. Pierre, overlooked and shelled from every direction and absolutely unapproachable during daylight, except for those who were willing to crawl. "B" and "C" Companies (Wynne and Moore) were behind in cellars, and "D" (Shields) and Battalion Headquarters still further back in the Cité. On the left could be seen the low slag heap and railway line of St. Pierre coal mine.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17369/17369-h/17369-h.htm

[mikebriggs]

this shows the full length of COOPER trench